Seattle Animal Shelter news and events

Archives for July 2010

If you’re looking for that perfect kitten to add to your family, come to the special “Kittens Only” adoption event at Whole Foods Market – Interbay, 2001 15th Ave. W., just south of the Animal Shelter, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 8.

Kittens will be available for adoption and ready to go home that day! Come early to ensure you find the perfect kitten for you. Or if you’re looking for two kittens this would be a good opportunity — we will have special pricing of $224 to adopt two kittens (includes two-year Seattle licenses). Regular price for two is more than $300. The price for a single kitten is between $152 and $157 depending on gender and services required.

SEATTLE — The Seattle Animal Shelter is bulging at the seams with cute cats and adorable kittens waiting for their forever homes. To help every cat and kitten find their special someone, from July 16 through Aug. 8, you can adopt two cats or kittens for the discounted price of $224 including two-year Seattle pet licenses. The regular price would be more than $300.

“Because we have so many kittens at the shelter and in foster care, we are offering this special, to reach out to people who are looking for special kitties to add to their families. We also want to promote companionship for cats. By adopting two, you ensure that your new kittens have playmates and companionship for the rest of their lives,” says Don Jordan, Seattle Animal Shelter director.

The adoption package includes:

· Initial vaccinations

· Deworming

· Feline Leukemia testing

· Certificate for free health exam at local veterinarians

· Spay or neuter

· Microchip (About the size of a grain of rice, the microchip is injected under the cat’s skin, providing an identification number associated with that animal. Animal shelters can then “scan” a lost animal and retrieve its records from the microchip.)

· Two-year Seattle Pet License (if applicable)

The Seattle Animal Shelter has an active foster-care program to rehabilitate sick and immature dogs, cats and critters. Donations from the “Help the Animals Fund” pay for veterinary care for these animals in foster care. Additionally, donations to the “Pet Population Control Fund” help defray the cost of spay/neuter for many of Seattle’s dogs and cats.

The Seattle Animal Shelter is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. for licensing, and noon to 6 p.m. for adoptions. It is located at 2061 – 15th Ave. W. The phone number is (206)386-PETS(7387). Animals available for adoption can be viewed online at http://www.seattleanimalshelter.org.

SEATTLE — The Seattle Animal Shelter continues showcasing “cool city pets” for adoption every third Saturday of the month – this month on July 17. Between the hours of 1 and 3 p.m., potential adopters can get acquainted with the many small animals available for adoption from the shelter, located at 2061 15th Ave. W., about a mile south of the Ballard Bridge. Available small animals include hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and mice.

“The Seattle Animal Shelter isn’t just about cats and dogs anymore,” says Director Don Jordan. “Because of our tremendous success in adopting out cats and dogs, we are now entrusted with the lives of all animals when pet owners can no longer care for them. Adopting an animal from the Seattle Animal Shelter is the right thing to do.”

Volunteer small-animal specialists are on hand to help adopters find the right pet for them. They provide information about each animal’s characteristics and needs, demonstrate basic care and handling skills, and answer questions.

All ages are welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Animals may be adopted by adults only. Adopters must be prepared to provide proper housing, food, water, toys and other materials necessary for the good health of the animal. The adoption fee for small animals ranges from $5 to $25.

If you would like more information or directions, please call (206) 386-PETS(7387) or visit the shelter’s website at http://www.seattleanimalshelter.org. The shelter is open Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. for adoptions and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. for licensing.

The Seattle Animal Shelter reserves the right to approve or deny any animal adoptions and limits the number of small animal adoptions to no more than three per household.

SEATTLE — As part of its ongoing outreach efforts to find suitable permanent homes for foster animals, the Seattle Animal Shelter hosts a cat adoptathon on Saturday, July 10, 2010, at the Rainier Community Center, located at 4600 38th Ave. S. The event runs from noon to 3 p.m. and features numerous cats of different breeds.

“By holding monthly adoptathons in neighborhoods throughout Seattle, we are able to spread the word about the joys and value of adopting shelter pets and saving lives. If you have room in your home and your heart for an orphaned animal, this is a great opportunity to come and see some of the wonderful pets available from our foster-care parents,” says Don Jordan, Seattle Animal Shelter director.

Adoption prices range from $152-157 and include:

· Initial vaccinations

· Deworming

· Feline Leukemia testing

· Certificate for free health exam at local veterinarians

· Spay or neuter

· Microchip (About the size of a grain of rice, the microchip is injected under the cat’s skin, providing an identification number associated with that animal. Animal shelters can then “scan” a lost animal and retrieve its records from the microchip.)

· Seattle Pet License (if applicable)

To help reduce the number of animals euthanized, the Seattle Animal Shelter has a foster-care program to rehabilitate sick and immature dogs and cats. Donations from the city’s “Help the Animals Fund” pay for veterinary care for these animals that would otherwise be euthanized.

The Seattle Animal Shelter is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. for licensing, and noon to 6 p.m. for adoptions. It is located at 2061 – 15th Ave. W. The phone number is (206)386-PETS(7387). Animals available for adoption can be viewed online at http://www.seattleanimalshelter.org.

With the weather predicted to hit 90 degrees this week, the Seattle Animal Shelter reminds pet owners to exercise good judgment and use common sense when it comes to protecting their pets from the summer heat.

“Each summer, the animal shelter receives hundreds of calls about pets locked in cars on hot summer days,” says Seattle Animal Shelter Director Don Jordan. “Many pet owners are unaware that cars left in direct sunlight turn into lethal ovens, reaching fatal temperatures of 130 degrees or more within just a few minutes. Even dogs left locked in cars in the shade with the windows cracked on hot days are at risk of brain damage or death. Dogs must cool themselves through panting and their systems can’t handle high temperatures.”

If you must travel with your pet, Jordan advises carrying water for your pet, and avoiding trips where you have to leave the pet in the car. “It’s not worth the risk,” he says.

Jordan offers the following tips for protecting pets during hot weather:

Never leave your animal chained or penned up directly in sunlight. Provide a shady area where the animal can retreat to, such as a dog house, porch or shady tree, and always provide cool water.

If you must leave animals indoors, open the windows, keep a fan running, provide plenty of water, and if possible, leave them in a cool location.

Never leave dogs or cats unattended in a closed, locked car. Temperatures can exceed 130 degrees in a matter of minutes. Animals do not perspire like humans; they cool themselves through their lungs by panting. Hot air can lead to brain damage or death. Also, be aware that vinyl seats in vehicles get hot under animals’ feet and prevents them from perspiring through their paws. Remember, with the movement of the sun, a vehicle originally parked in the shade may soon be in direct sunlight.

Avoid overexerting your animal in hot weather. Exercise is fine when taken in moderation, but obesity, old age, underlying disease and previous bouts of heat stroke can predispose an animal to the condition.

Feathered friends:

Take caution and place the bird’s cage away from direct sunlight during the intense heat of the afternoon.

Provide water and fruits and vegetables with high moisture content.

Pet owners can be held criminally liable for committing cruelty to animals if a pet dies, or is found suffering from heat prostration. If you see an animal that may be in need of assistance or if you have questions, contact Seattle Animal Shelter at (206) 386-PETS.

The Seattle Animal Shelter will be closed on Sunday, July 4, and Monday, July 5, in observance of the Fourth of July holiday. The holiday falls on a Sunday, but the federal holiday is observed on Monday.

If you find a stray animal, please care for the animal until the shelter’s next business day. The shelter will re-open on Tuesday, July 6, at noon. If you have a life-threatening situation involving a human, please call 911.

If you need emergency care for an injured animal, the following veterinary hospitals will be open on the holidays:

The Seattle Animal Shelter offers the following tips to protect pets on the Fourth of July:

· Keep pet indoors or otherwise secured when fireworks are being shot off.

· Consult your veterinarian beforehand if you think your pet may need to be tranquilized.

· Take your pet outside to relieve itself before it gets dark.

· If you take your pet to a park, do not leave it locked in a car.

· Do not take your pet to public fireworks displays.

· Make sure your pet is wearing proper identification, such as a current pet license.

If a pet wearing its license shows up at the animal shelter, the owner is notified via telephone. If an officer finds a licensed pet in the field, it will be returned to its owner instead of being taken to the shelter. Experience shows that often an injured animal wearing a license is more likely to receive life saving veterinary care if the owner cannot be contacted immediately.

Thank you to everyone who attended the rainiest Furry 5K in Seattle Animal Shelter history! With your help, we raised $100,000 for the shelter’s Help the Animals Fund! Many thanks to all the sponsors, donors, vendors, participants and wet dogs.

If you missed the Furry 5K but still want a memento, you can pick up a Furry 5K t-shirt at the Seattle Animal Shelter, Tuesday-Sunday, 9am-6pm. Donations appreciated, but not required. Also, you can find pictures from the event posted at www.furry5k.com.